ON MOISTURE CONTENT OF SOIL 67 



place, still contained a higher moisture content in the surface 3 inches 

 of soil than on Plot 16, where as far as the eye could judge the growth 

 was all but negligible. Apparently a good deal of the rain had drained 

 down the cracks on Plot 16, which were still as prevalent as during 

 the preceding fortnight. On July 1st a spell of wet weather set in, 

 there being only two dry days during the first twelve days of the 

 month. For this period a total of 1-97 inches of rain was recorded. 

 On July 8th and 12th, when the samples were taken, both plots 

 appeared to be equally wet and the cracks had all disappeared. The 

 analytical results showed that on both these dates the surface three 

 inches of soil on both plots had approximately the same moisture 

 content. The third week of July was dry and growth on Plot 17 was 

 rapid. At the end of the week both plots had the same moisture 

 content, namely 18-4 %. The remaining week and the first week in 

 August were wet and the moisture content of the surface three inches 

 varied from 23-26 %; the treated plot during the period 26th July 

 to 9th August being distinctly drier. From the 9th of August to 

 the 19th no rain fell, the untreated plot dried more rapidly and on 

 the 16th the moisture content of both plots was approximately the 

 same. On this date the plots were cut dead ripe; they were weighed 

 on the 21st and carted to the stack and subsequently threshed foi 

 wild white clover seed. The weights of hay on the two plots were, 

 Plot 17, 28-8 cwts. and Plot 16, 6-4 cwts. per acre. 



It will be noted that from the 16th of August onwards (Plot 17 

 no longer being covered by a dense crop) the moisture on both plots 

 remained practically the same. 



By determining the moisture content of the soil to a depth of 

 9 inches and 3 inches on both plots it was possible to calculate the 

 moisture content of the layer of soil 3 inches to 9 inches on both plots. 

 This was done, and the figures are given in Table XXXV, and are 

 shown graphically in Fig. 14. The calculations were made with a view 

 to ascertaining whether the crop on the basic slag plot was able to 

 draw more water from the lower depth than was the case on the 

 untreated plot. It is natural to expect this to be so under dry climatic 

 conditions for either or both of two reasons. Firstly because of the 

 increased root action which follows the application of basic phosphates 

 to clay pastures, and secondly because it seemed possible that the 

 remarkable root development which took place on Plot 17 would affect 

 the texture of the soil to some extent and thereby facilitate the up- 

 ward passage of capillary water. An inspection of Fig. 14 shows that 

 though the first three inches of soil on the basic slag plot remained 



52 



